A get together
by Buzzybee07
Summary: Oh? whats that? A get together is being thrown and it's time to have some fun. Some fluff NejixTenten ShikamaruxTemari KankuroxIno


She ran. her hair whipping through the wind as she tore down the pathway, avoiding some ninja who were debating about the new icha icha paradise. Yes, Kikashi was among them. She could see the hill now '_that lazy bum, why should I bother to come get him' _ Ino thought stopping when she saw: Shikamaru was not cloud gazing like he would normally be doing but talking, talking to someone.

She stopped abruptly, He hadn't notice her, so she stayed put and decided to see what was going on. Plus maybe get some dirt on him, just maybe. Ino shook off her bad habits of gossip, she knew better then that. Plus, she was actually a good ninja now. _'Better then Sakuara' _She thought, and stopped herself. Sakura had a scary amount of strength and could take out a whole wall. Never mind. She would become better then her, then.

"Hm, why did you come? it's so troublesome." ino heard Shikamaru say.

She then noticed a sand nin, Temari standing on a tree branch above shikamaru with her fan strapped across her back, she had her arms crossed in front of her.

"Oi, we had a mission near by. Plus Garra wanted to come here for a bit, The sand village will be okay without him. Kankuro is here also, something about puppets he wanted to check out." She shrugged and jumped off the tree landing next to Shikamaru who was currently taking a drag out of his cigarette.

"I also wanted to say hello to the village's crybaby, pineapple head and now stink-breath Nara Shikamaru."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. He took the cigarette out of his mouth to speak.

"Tch." Is all he said, but Temari being quick witted swiped away his cigarette and then stomped on it. "Ha." she said, Shikamaru only glared.

"That wasn't fair. What are you doing here? You know I go here for cloud gazing. This place is not open for _Troubling females._"

Temari only sat down and scooted closer to him, putting her arms around his chest. He sighed mumbled something about trouble and then looked at Temari in a very unlike Shikamaru way. He looked not bothered at all but extremely _happy. _

_"_And you call me pineapple head, look at yourself." Temari only smirked and traced a finger on his Churin vest.

Ino felt a lump in her throat. Now why did she? He was her teammate, it was odd and almost hard to see the sand nin embrace him so. Had they been sharing a secret for a while now? often ninjas didn't show so much display of affection for one another because it would just be a distraction. But the worst thing was, Ino almost had feelings for the guy. _Almost, _she thought and decided that sitting around wouldn't do any good. Tenten was going to round up her teammates Lee and Neji while Kiba, Naruto, and surprisingly Shino would round up the others to go to a local Kahona grill. It was just a get together of friends, to have a good time.

"Yo, I know you have been there for awhile Ino" shikamaru spoke up suddenly, Ino, with a silly sort of look on her face came out from her not-so-good hiding spot. She put her hands on her hips and stared at the two ninja.

She grinned "You are smart as ever, kid."

"humph, why all of a sudden are there females invading my space?" Shikamaru retorted. Temari got up to lean against the tree behind them, crossing her arms again and smiling. Ino just smirked "I hope I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

Shikamaru was now standing searching for a cigarette in his vest, failing to find any.

Temari then spoke "Nahw you didn't, this softie here wouldn't do much of anything, anyways. Oh and by the way my brother Kankuro was looking for you, I think."

Ino blinked.

"what?"

Temari shrugged. "I dunno' he just wanted to see you I guess."

Ino recalled some memories of the very talented puppeteer. They had met each other months ago, Ino felt foolish that she had never wrote him and actually wanted to see him again. Anyways, Shikamaru had his share of a sand ninja, why shouldn't she?

"Oh. Well um, a bunch of us our meeting up at the local grill. You two want to come?"

Before Shikamaru had a chance to even protest, Temari answered with a yes. He only grumbled and giving in nodded to Ino. "My brothers would also like to come, it would be good for Garra for take a break. That poor kid, the youngest of the three of us and the most hard-working."

Ino only smiled "Yeah, yeah don't worry I'll make sure they come."

Ino was happy. This was going to be a nice day after all, she was really looking forward to see the puppeteer, she wondered if he looked any different.

She ran down the path way, before Ino had gone out of hearing range of the two ninjas she heard something that made her chuckle.

"Humph, I don't do anything? what do you mean by that?"

"Oh you know what I mean." Temari responded mockingly

Then the next thing Ino heard was a loud thump, and the sound of wrestling.

Now it was time to look for someone named Kankuro.

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Lee in a clad striking green spandex was doing his normal 1000 pushups in the morning, not even breaking a sweat. Tenten was doing many crazy leaps and spins throwing her Kunai in ever possible direction trying to figure out how fast she could hit a target. The trees where taking a harsh a brutal beating.

Neji on the other hand was practicing on a couple new moves he had learned. Tenten had stopped being destructive for a moment and stared in awe at the young hyuga prodigy. Well, not really young he was only 15 after-all.

"999, 1000!" lee got up from his pushups and whooped with a little to much joy. Lee never failed to impress Teneten with his amazing amount of stamina. "Now I shall do 500 kicks!"

It was mid-day and seemed like it was time for a break and a time for Tenten to ask her teammates about the gathering with the other ninja. Lee was now finished with 600 punches and felt 'youthful' enough to take a well earned break himself. Neji also joined in, all three were tired and smelled like sweat. It was hot outside.

Tenten rolled out a small picnic of food, and then while she and her teammates ate, she polished off her large collection of many pointy-sharp weapons. Out of the blue Neji spoke up shocking Tenten.

"Hn, Tenten, you have improved."

"Wha?" she asked and stopped polishing one of her most prized Kunai. She blinked. "Oh yes! you Have improved most indeed!" Lee said and pumped his arm. Neji nodded slightly "It's the way you throw your weapons, the timing and everything. You have improved" Tenten was speechless, was she hearing right? Was this Hyuga Neji?

"Well thanks!" She said grinning "Hey, well actually I just remembered something. A bunch of of the teams are getting together later on tonight, also the sand nins will joining us. I was told to ask you guys if you would like to come." Tenten was back to polishing her weapons already knowing what the answer would be from Neji.

"Fine." Tenten was impressed that Neji amazed her so much today. "You'll go?" she asked him, his white eyes stared at her. They looked soft and very attractive for some reason, and she didn't know why. "Yeah, sure." he replied. And that was that. Lee just got overly excited. It was going to be a night of youthfulness. Neji then gave a small smile. Wow.

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"Hey" he said. Garra had his arms crossed, and wore an expression way to much like his sister Tmeari's. How odd. Kankuro was talking to a girl with long blond hair, who was studying Garra with her blue eyes.

"Hey Garra." Kankuro said grinning a bit. The puppet master seemed very happy, just like Ino also did. Garra, with his arms still crossed, cocked his head slightly "You got a date or something?" Kankuro looked at his brother, who seemed very alert and almost uncertain. Kankuro scratched his brown hair, and smirked. "Nahw, she is just a friend of mine. We met awhile back, What about you Garra? you got a date?"

Garra slightly smiled "no," he stiffened and looked at his older brother, his eyes were wide. "I don't seem like the person to go to gatherings do I?" he cocked his head again while questioning. Kankuro's relationship had improved so much with his younger brother though, Kankuro knew would always be hesitant around Garra's sand gourd. He knew better to not lie to his brother.

"No, not really." Kankuro looked away, but Garra cracked a smile. "Who told you? about the ninja gathering. That's why we came by anways" Ino pipped up quietly. She also seemed hesitant around Garra, she didn't know him as well as Kankuro. But everyone knew how powerful he was.

"hm, Naruto told me. He has a way to disrupt everything." Garra recalled, he was talking to Tusnade about a couple cult groups which had formed over a year or so which were 'Anti-Kohona' ninja. He was telling her that he had personally taken care of the situation when Naruto barged in making it clear to perhaps all Kahona, that Garra is now sociable and would be coming to the local grill to 'mingle with friends.'

Ino and Kankuro both agreed. Said their goodbyes to one another and parted. It was then Kankuro heard his brother sigh and ask to the sky "Now, what should I wear?"

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"Sakuara-chaaannn!" Naruto's high-pitched raspy voice cut through the crowd like a razor blade. It was to obvious when Naruto was in town. Sakura waved Naruto over with one of her free hands, in the other she carried a plastic bag full of groceries.

"Jeez, can't you say my name any louder?" she joked. Naruto seemed like he didn't understand because he was about to shout out again. "No-no you idiot I was kidding it was a Joke!" she elbowed him in the side.

"HINATA, KIBA YO!" he said. _Oh phew _Sakura thought. Two figures turned around. "Hey!" Kiba replied. Hinata said her quiet hellos and didn't take a glance at sakura or Naruto. Oddly, Akamaru was no where to be seen, but it was quite obvious that he wasn't around because the dog was huge now a days.

"Where's Akamaru?" Sakuara asked, also noticing. "ahh, yeah everyone has been asking about that." He scratched behind his head. "Once in awhile my mom and sister take all the dogs out right into the wilderness. There they are set free for a couple days, then come back. I'm not sure what it's supposed to do, make them stronger or something. I sure miss him though.."

That was kiba for you. The dog boy. Hinata only stared off into the distance. "Is everyone coming? even Neji?" Naruto nodded in reply "Yep! it's sure going to be a party!"

He didn't realize how right he was.

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**7:00pm at the grill**

The hell? no one was showing up. Naruto slumped in the booth, his stomach was killing him, it was torture to see across the street that the ramen place was wide open and having their "all you can eat special." How cruel he thought and crossed his arms. He didn't even notice Shino had sat down also. His hood was drawn, and glasses in place with a couple bugs in his palm. Naruto almost shouted when he finally noticed him.

**7:30pm at the grill**

"Man freaking say something." Naruto was growing more eager, mr. bug boy was still not talking and was being absurdly cold and curt with his replies. "You are not worth talking to." Naruto then decided that later he would tell everyone how Shino accidently drank laughing poison in Motoyoshi village and actually laughed for once in his life.

Just as Naruto was at ropes end with Shino's coldness a whole load of people, came bursting into the grill. Ino, Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, Neji, Lee, Kiba and Chouji had all came in and took their seats around the booth. The girls shuffled in all wearing different outfits then their normal ones, even Tenten. She wore her hair down.

"Finally, jeez Kiba, Hinata? how do you deal with such a quiet person?" Naruto motioned to Shino who unfolded his arms and started sipping at his ice-water. "well how can someone deal with such a loud mouth like _You?" _Neji spoke up and stopped. It seems like he had taken notice of Tenten. His jaw hung to the side a little, he quickly regained his normal self and shook himself.

_Stop Neji, you fool. _

"Well guys! lets get the party started!" Tenten shouted all of a sudden. Ino and Sakura Chorused in agreement. Naruto whooped with joy, Lee with youthfulness and Neji had even mumbled something along the lines of it. Of course, Chouji was the one to order the food. Small helpings of uncooked meat were being passed around on platters. The grills began frying and the lips started moving.

"Temari this is _far to troublesome." _of course, everyone knew who that was. Shikamaru walked in with temari on his arm. "Yo," she said and gave a wink. A couple people raised their eyebrows. "Yeah I ran into them today, quite the couple eh?" Ino noted putting a piece of meat into her mouth. Chouji had given her a lecture about the importance of eating food. She now agreed.

Shikamaru grumbled, Tenten and scooted closer to Neji and made room for the two ninjas. "Well I must be the oldest of the bunch? huh? well I have a treat for all of you." The sand ninja had a big grin on her face. She pulled out a couple small fan from her vest she was wearing (maybe Shikamaru's) it went well with her fish net leggings and short skirt.

A small poof of smoked erupted on the table, Chouji almost choked on his meat, Hinata had to help him while saying "Oh my Temari." Neji only stared at her glumly, Shikamaru seemed the least surprised. Tenten seemed unsure, sakura was eyeing her closely, Ino was smiling while Shino didn't seem like had a comment. Kiba shouted "Yahoo!" and grabbed a small sake glass.

Sake. Sake? she brought Sake? Well of course they were still underage, well pretty much everyone was. "No it's not spiked." sakura sniffed and grabbed a glass. "You'd think I'd try to poison you?" Temari asked smugly and grabbed her own glass.

Shikamaru mumbled something a long the lines of "She did to me." but he reached out and grabbed his own glass. Others did too, Neji still looked glum. Hinata almost had a smirk on her face, she then blurted out of the blue

"Poor Neji, He is very awful when it comes to alcohol." Everyone looked from Hinata to Neji. He looked suprised and made. "HAH! the prodidgy can't handle it?' Naruto said, he had already had a glass and was on his second.

"hn," neji said in almost a sulky way. Tenten then sniggered. It was having an effect on her "Hinata you are soo right!." She agreed and nodded her head vigorously. "like there was this one time-..."

"_Ten ten_," Neji hissed warningly to Tenten out of the corner of his mouth, there were a couple snorts and giggles around the corner. Tenten poured herself some sake and put her head teasingly on his shoulder. Neji Hyugga was no one to humiliate.

"Aw come on, remember? Lee? you took Neji, Naruto to the curry of life place. And when we were fighting that guy with the lightning swords. Heheh Lee, Naruto and Neji got pretty darn beat up. Then thank goodness to the curry, it made Naruto wide-awake. But oh man! Neji was just DEAD. Turns out the curry-womans son accidently spilled a whole bottle of wine into the curry so it didn't turn out like we wanted to"

No one really got what Tenten was saying, but to picture Neji completely intolerant to alcohol made some smilies appear around the table. Neji on the other hand didn't say anything, kept his arms folded and secretly liked the feeling of Tenten's head on his shoulder. _With her hair down. _

Maybe some people could read his mind because Temari leaned across the table to whisper something to Sakuara who giggled and looked at him. Suddenly, Naruto without thinking got really wide eyed.

"No...uh. Guys? did anyone give Fuzzy-brows the sake?" he said very quietly, everyone looked at Lee. He blinked, and grinned a wide youthful smile. Kiba grinned "What? is he just like Neji? can't handle alcohol?" he smirked, a couple people's faces grew ashen and white.

"Kiba, you dimwit? you know how Lee managed to fight that guy who worked for Oruchimaru. The one who could self-manipulate himself and have bones sprout out of his body? he was able because he was utterly-drunk." Shino has spoken up from his little corner, a sake glass in his palm. "He is scary when he is drunk." Ino pointed out.

_Exactly. _Lee's eyebrows knit together. "I have learned my lesson, thanks to Sakuara-chan she told me how the alcohol made me a great fighter but made myself ten-fold creating a negitive after affect. I only use it when people are in danger. Yosh! I will hold myself back from this drink of youthfulness!"

Everyone relaxed and starting to exchange stories of one-another. Many wanted to know why Shikamaru was now paired up with the frightening yet admirable sand nin Temari. Meanwhile another round of sake had popped out from nowhere courtesy of Temari herself, and another pile of food had been set on the table. Which granted Chouji's wish. "Well, I am not so sure why I actually bothered to be with a _female." _Shikamaru looked at her from the corner of his eyes like she was a shurikan coming towards his head. Ironic enough, Temari had a piece of pineapple pinched between her chopsticks and she nibbled at it like a bird.

_Shikamaru is pineapple head. _He sighed, and felt her leg snaking around his under the table. "Nh, well she beat me at the Churrin exams, didn't she? That freaky fan of hers.." Hinata looked at Temari and questioned her "Temari-san where is your fan, anyways?" Temari shrugged, "it's not like I need it here, I won't be attacked. _Hopefully, _it is still at Shikamaru's apartment waiting to be used later tonig-.." she was cut off by a somewhat loud cough.

_Oy, I drank to much sake. _A couple of the ninja including Shikamaru's faces where bright red. Chouji started to grunt and stuffed the remaining meat and pineapple into his mouth. A sign that her was nervous. Everyone was quiet.

Garra and Kankuro stood looking quite mortified by their sister. Temari winked at them playfully. "Brothers! take a seat won't you? Garra jeez, you have been working all day. Take a load off!" No one said anything. Awkward situation.

_No wonder Temari was so eager to visit Kahona! _Kankuro thought, his sister was trying to irk him with her smile.

_"Temari" _ Garra said quietly, he folded his arms and sniffed. "Are you drunk?" a couple of laughs escaped the ninja. Clearly, most where. Maybe that is why Tenten was leaning even more closely to Neji? and Naruto had his arm wrapped around both Sakura and Hinata. Both seemed they didn't mind. Hiniata seemed like she was enjoying it.

"You are drunk. Most you are. _I can smell it_." he stated. his eyes grew a little bigger "Why start the fun without me?" he questioned. Garra, from then on settled with a smile on his face between Kankuro and Sakaura. _He was happy, he had friends._

And _he thought of his Teddy. All safe and snug in his room. _

After the new comers where squeezed into the booth, Temari whipped up a couple more glasses to serve. Though, having her two younger brothers around she released her leg from Shikamaru's. He looked at her, and chewed on a toothpick.

In spite of the loudness, the exchanging of very interesting stories (how Nejia, Tenten actually wore green spandex for a day, Temari knocked down a building in the sand villiage while their teacher was showering inside it, Kiba got stuck in his dog form for a day and how Naruto managed to write one volume of Icha-Icha paradise) Neji, still quite sullen from not even drinking one sip of sake and how all the others teased him so about it got fed up and brought his fists down on the table.

"Neji-kun?" Hiniata said in a small voice.

"Hn, you fools I can handle pretty much anything. Shikamaru hand me the sake. Now!" Tneten giggled beside him. Garra had already had drunk a lot, he didn't seem quite out of it but occasionally his sand would start waving all over the place. Garra passed him the sake with his sand, making it act as a extension of his arm.

There was sand everywhere. No one seemed to mind. Except Chouji complained he was getting grit in his mouth. Neji didn't look pale, sick nor dead. He just drank it down and was on his second when his glassy eyes seemed a bit too wide and cloudy.

"Neji? hey, are you okay?" Ten ten asked. Shikamaru stuck one hand in front of his face and started waving it around. No response. No one could tell if he was really looking it shikamaru's hand because well, he didn't really have pupils.

"Nejiiii? hello?" Ino poked him on the forehead. Still no response. Everyone blinked, what the hell? He was grinning? smiling? Neji?!

_I feel all warm, relaxed inside. Huh. Odd. _His goofy grin on his face was to priceless. But of course this little moment of gold didn't last long. Next thing everyone knew, he was passed out. Dead asleep.

"Huh. Hinata and Tenten where not lying," Naruto commented adding a small flick to Neji's head. He didn't stir one bit.

Even though one of the villages toughest, coldest and most non-socaible ninja was now asleep. The party still had to go on, everyone agreed some sleepy ninja with one hangover would be waking up to the bill. Poor, poor Neji.

Meanwhile Kankuro sat squat in the middle of Ino and Garra and began to juggle first a couple of glasses then more and more. He used small chakara threads to throw and grasp onto the glasses, making sure they wouldn't fall. Kiba saw how Ino and the others reacted to the marvelous performance so he started to juggle and actually he was sucsessful.

It then turned into a full on Juggling contest. Sakuara, then Lee, then Tenten started, and boy she was creaming them. The weapon master was enjoying all the attention she was getting while she flicked her wrists up in a fast motion and sent the glasses whirling through the air until caught them with her other hand. Very impressive.

_To bad Neji isn't awake. _But of course she was out shown by the kazakage who stole the spot light.

Though, after the nice show a very angry grill manager came to confront the noisy table saying they were driving out everyone from the grill. And why on earth there were broken sake glasses everywhere.

Though, Temari very sulkily said to the manager that the sake glasses where hers. And once the manager noticed he was interfering the Sand kazakage and his siblings and friends he shut up and walked away. Plus the table had a HUGE bill. Everything was fine.


End file.
